Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1887-03-04
THE BASILISK.
~ g.: - a. ~@4.
A STORY OF TO-DAY.
CHAPTER XIV.
IN THE NORTH TOWER.

IN THE NORTH TOWER.
Bound, blindfolded, imprisoned! Mary
Fortescue helpless in the hands of her
oppressors! Such were the thoughts
which with maddening pertinacity beat
in upon my brain as lay helplessly
straining at the cords that bound me.
l was weak and uncrved, and the very
exigency of the circumstances, instead
of comforting unwonted power upon
me seemed to paralyze me, laying a
crushing weight upon my efforts, and,
for time upon my will.
After period of fruitless and
fatiguing effort to loosen the cords with
which I was bound, I called what
patience I could command, the
of dire necessity-to my aid,
and, encouraged by the reflection that
I was at any rate outstanding my
strength, Hay still, and endeavoured to
reflect calmly upon my position.
My own fate did not trouble me
greatly. Two attempts had been made
upon my life, and it was evident
enough that in that house of secret
ways and means, of INSCRIPTIONS re-
source and INSCRIPTIONS devotion
no security for my own safety
could be obtained, save by
fight, and that security seemed sufi-
GENTLY unattainable. But the agony
of the situation lay in the imminent
danger to which Mary was exposed.
The words of her note, the heartrending
appeal of that little bitter-sweet cry for
help, burned before my blinded eyes in
the darkness. Carried off to the Con-
tinent in the power, possibly under the
conduct, of Plowitz! What worse fate
could l fear for her? As lay revolving
the horrible condition of affairs, nearly
maddened by the conflict of love. and
fear, and rage, and resentment, I heard
distinctly the sound of wheels on the
gravel somewhere below. Doubtless
the carriage, come to take her away.
The sound revived my benumbed
energies. writhed and wrestled with
my bonds all Intellectually. The cords
cut me, the sweat stood large upon my
forehead. In my struggles I pictured
the scene which was being enacted be-
low-the face of Mary, pale, shrinking,
looking in vain for the helpwhich could
not come. Plowitz odiously polite, or
possibly, in an extreme case, odiously
insolent. The rut1ianly guardian, who
had robbed his ward, and was now an
active agent in her abduction-the pale
beautiful face of that unwomanly
woman, the evil genius of the poor girl
against whom I could imagine no
woman's heart being steeled-with ter
ribly vividness Imagination painted the
events in which I was powerless to in
tervene, the more terribly as I knew
from experience that fancy was re-
sponsible for none of the terrors that
realised. ..a# .: va. f..s ..
Hank! Again the sound of wheels
unmistakable, though distant, as if
mufled by an intervening angle of the
house; louder for moment, then
diminishing in distinctness, as of a
carriage rapidly driving away. She
waD gone! Beyond question she was
gone. III. Will. -
Was it fancy that seemed to show a
loosening of the cords that bound mep
No! Ny struggles had had some effect
at last. At last the rigour of my
bondage was relaxed! I ceased my
~uggles to recover energy for fresh
sdort, Carefully-fearfully, I again
essay to set myself free. Thank God,
the cords are loosened! With care and
patience now set about tho task of re-
covering the freedom of my limbs.
Soon am rewarded, and sooner than
] dared to hope. have got one arm
froe. L LII feverish haste I am about to
set to work on the other cords, when
hear u step at the door, aad a hand
lpon the lock. Quickly I entangled
the released arm with its oast-of fasten-
ings, and place it under me. Then the
door is opened, and q step advances
into the room. The bandage over my
eyes is not SO deity fastened that I can
not make out the presence of light.
It is brought close to me, and 4 rustic
of q dress tells me that my visitor IS q
woman. 5sSt:35 .t.a II9i#
5..Who it itp'' h I ask. M. .$.5 5...
II our gaoler, Mr.. Coplestone, = says
the voice Of the Basilisk. ". q
why am ! herc?s' .5.5a
ut is for yo,,r safety. Ny father
and Herr Plowitz are your enemies